Dashboard control



G. F. LONG DASHBOARD CONTROL 7 Filed Oct;

June 7, 1927.

@- IgVEN'I OR ATTORNEY P atente d June 7, 1927.

UNITED, STATES GEORGE 1'. none, on NEW Yonx, N. Y.,

PATENT i OFFICE.

,AssIGNon, BY mEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro

STEINER ELECTRIC CORPORATION, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

nasnnoann CONTROL.

Application filed October 5, 1928. Serialjfl'o. 666,664.

This invention relates to controls for utilities adapted particularly. for use where it is desired to operate a desired mechanism or utilit from a distance.

,One 0 ject of the present invention relates to the provision of means such as a Bowden wire operatively interconnecting the utility and the point at which it is to be controlled, of a handle or manually operated member, a means cooperating with the handle and the lnterconnecting means so that moyement in one direction of the handle operates the utility and movement in a diflerent direction at an angle thereto locks the device.

In accordance with this object, there is provided simple and eflicient means for permittin free movem'entof a member longitudina 1y but actuated by rotary movement thereto to lock the device in fixed position.

Various other objects and advantages of i the invention will,be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one form of mechanism'embodying my invention,and the invention also consists in certain newand novelfeatures of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed. I I

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of one embodiment of my invention in place to operate a utility;

Figure 2 is a pers ective view of one part of the mechanism 0? Figure 1; and

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on the lines 3 -3 and 44, respectively, of

Figure 1. L

Referring to the drawings, there is shown .a dashboard 10', which may be the dash of a motor vehicle. Extending through the dash 10 is a casing 11 having a flanged end 12 in contact with the obverse face of the dash 10, an intermediate portion 13 and an .end portion 14 having a restricted diameter.

Within the intermediate portion 13 is-a recess which is tapered, the flare of the taper being towards the obverse of the dash 10. The other end of the recess is screw-threaded for a purpose which will subsequently appear. The casin 11 is hollow and the intenor is substantia 1y symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the device, represented by the line 1515 of Figure 1.

The face of the flange portion 12 protected and embellished by a face plate 16,

the edge of which may be spun over the edge of the flange. The flange 12 and face plate 16 are aflixed to the dash 10 in anysuitable manner, as by machine screws passing therethrough. The extreme end of the portion l4 of'the casing 11 is provided with a screwthreaded boss 17 for the reception of anipple or union 18 whereby a tube 19 is attached thereto. The end of the tube 19 is preferably flared and the end of the boss 17 is slightly tapered, so as to hold the tube rigidly.

The tube 19 extends to a mechanism or utility to be operated. In the present insuchas used on motor vehicles, but it is understood that any device may be constance this is shown as a muflier cut-out 20,

20, there is provided a shaft member 30 oosely fitted within the casing,

andhavingits inner end aflixed to the end of the wire 21. The shaft member 30 has two degrees of freedom within the casing 11, that is, it may be moved longitudinally or it maybe rotated. It will be seen that this includes movement in one plane, i. e., the longitudinal plane of the device, as well as movement in a plane at anangle to the first-named plane, i. e., atransverse plane of the device. The member 30 is preferably formed to have an' asymmetrical cross-section with reference to the axial line 151 5; that is, rotation of the member 30 about sand axis produces unlike unbalanced motions of arts of its surfaces. A shaft of rectan ar or square cross-section is suitable or the purpose. I

For supporting the shaft member 30 to ermit longitudinal movement and for lock- 1n the same in desired position there is provi ed a collet or jam member 40, which as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 comprises a member havin a screw-threaded shank 41 to fit the threa s of the inner portion of the recess of the part 13 of the casing 11, and

having a tapering enlarged end 42 corresponding'in configuration to that of said recess. The end 42 of the collet member 40 is split by means of'a plurality of cuts such as 43, of which four are shown. Extending through the member 40 is an asymmetrical or rectangularly cut hole 44 of a size andshape to normally permit the shaft member to pass therethrough freely. The collet member is .mounted on the shaft member 30 and is then screw-threaded into therecess of the part 13' of the casingll, and

when in the position shown in Figure 1 forms a supporting bearing for the shaft member 30. The outer end of the shaft member 30 is secured to a handle in any suitable manner, as by being pinned thereto, so that any motion of the handle 45 is transmitted to the member 30.

In operation, assuming that the parts are in position as shown by the full lines of Figure 1, the crank 22 is in ,its"fully closed position, or position with minimum opening of the utility 20, or other desired position of the uitility, and assuming that the device is not lockedin that position, the operator grasps the handle 45 and pulls it out a desired amount,'so that the crank of the utility is placed as may be desired, for example, in

' 'the position shown by the dotted lines of Figure. 1. When the control has been adjusted as desired, the handle 45 is rotated through a relatively small angle, and this rotary movement causes the shaft member 30 to rotate against the collet 40. The collet 40 is thus screwed inwardly and the wings 42 are severally pressed into intimate con- .tact with the tapered walls of the recess. Continued rotary movement of the handle through an additional angle will cause the shaft member 30, because of' its character- 'istic cross-section, to wedge againstthe several wings of the collet 40, and thus jam them against the walls of the recess more securely. The handle is maintained in the rotated position by the friction of the member 30 against the collet.

utilities, which is convenient and may be,

instantly unlocked and operated. The looking device maintains the utility in predetermined position, independent of vibration or vehicle sway. The device may be easily installed with a minimum of interference with other devices, such as gear shift levers or emergency brake levers. The handle serves as an indicating device for automatically indicating either by sight or touch, whether or not the device is locked. a

While I have shown and described and have pointed out inthe annexed claims certain, novel features of my invention it will be understood thatvarious omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: i

A manual control for mechanism, com prising a casing having a hollow bore terminating in an enlarged recess, the outer portion of said recess being tapered inwardly and the inner portion thereof being provided with an internal screw thread, a sin.- gle split collet positioned within said recess, said collethaving an outer tapered portion and inner externally threaded portion adapted to cooperate with the corresponding portions of the recess in said casing, said collet being also provided with a central bore having an irregular contour;' a longitudinally slidable member positioned within said collet, said member being adapted at one end for attachment to a mechanism operating means and being adapted at the other end for attachment to an actuating handle, said slidable member being entirely supported by saidcollet and being of a contour similar to that of the bore in said collet,

whereby relative longitudinal movement is permitted and relative rotational movement prevented, said collet in one position thereof allowing free movement of said slidable member and being adapted when rotated in response to rotational'movcment of said slidable member to engage with the tapered walls of said recess and cooperate therewith to firmly lock'said member against longitw dinal movement.

Signed at New York in the county of Queens and State of New'York this 1st day of October, 'A. D. 1923. i

GEORGE F. LONG. 

